Summary
Hack and slashhas been an established genre in video gaming ever since the likes ofThe Legend of KageandStriderbecame popular arcade games; today, titles likeDevil May CryandDarksidersmight come to mind. The genre generally encompasses games where combat with melee weapons is the main focus, although some incorporate it in other gameplay styles.
Hack and slash works particularly well withhorror, where close-quarters combat with horrifying abominations results in a lot of gruesome, hair-raising scenarios. Many will have seen the two in tandem in slasher movies, but these are some of thebest hack-and-slash horror gamesthat offer plenty of brutal action.
This list currently focuses on games that solely or heavily emphasize melee combat, rather than those where the player is free to switch between ranged and melee weapons or asymmetrical titles featuring slasher villains.
While hack and slash is still a popular genre, it is worth looking back to where it all began with 80s arcade games.Splatterhouseis a 1988hack-and-slash sidescrollerthat began as an arcade game, later being released on other consoles. Turned into a superhuman after being resurrected by the “Hell Mask”, the player must fight their way through a mansion full of monsters.
Swinging the likes of axes and cleavers,Splatterhousehas all the appeal of classic 80s slashers likeFriday the 13thcombined with the straightforward gameplay of arcade titles. Fans of good old gore, violence, and body horror should definitely dust off their older consoles to give this game a try.
TheSilent Hillfranchiseis known for its survival horror titles, but that’s not to say there aren’t a number of spin-offs that have attempted to drift away from the genre-defining formula.Silent Hill: Book of Memoriesis a dungeon crawler that sees the player trying to rewrite their story after receiving a book of their entire life, with dire consequences.
Unfortunately,Book of Memorieswas not well received by fans of the franchise, but outside theSilent Hillname, it still offers some enjoyable gameplay. Players can use weapons such as knives and crowbars to hammer through a roster of both new and familiar grotesque enemies.
Horror games are more often than not set in the present, perhaps partially in an attempt to make them seem more real and possible. As such, it is always interesting to see horror titles that venture outside the modern box.Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrificeis one such game, taking place in the Viking age where a Celtic warrior, Senua, must journey into Helheim to save her dead lover’s soul.
Combat inSenua’s Sacrificeis not as frequent as some other entries, as it is a psychological horror game. However, when players encounter enemies - disturbing and deformed Norsemen - they can engage in some super satisfying swordplay, made all the more brutal by its realistic graphics.
Diablowears many hats; RPG, dungeon crawler, hack and slash. It’s certainly much more horror-focused than the titles that would follow. In this franchise kick-starter, the player embarks on a journey tofree the world from demonsand put an end to the Demon Lord’s reign.
While combat can be somewhat repetitive, for gamers who enjoy simply plowing through their enemies,Diablois perfect. Thematically dark, aesthetically Gothic, and rife with grim depictions of humanity’s fate, this is a game that still holds up as a gruesome experience today.
Imagine waking up after a wild partyin a tropical paradiseto find it crawling with plague-infected flesh eaters. Add wrenches, knives, maybe even a katana into the equation, andDead Islandis born. The player, as an immune survivor, must bash their way through zombies to escape the island and their pursuers.
Dead Islandleans heavily into melee combat, encouraging players to use a variety of blunt and sharp weapons rather than guns (which aren’t even available until act two). These handheld weapons can be upgraded and modded for plenty of personalized and addictive combat.
With a protagonist who is simultaneously a high school student, a cheerleader, and a zombie hunter,Lollipop Chainsaw RePOPplays like a comedy-horror. It’sa parody that pokes fun at the genrethrough an over-the-top, outlandish premise, on par with the likes ofTheBabysitter.
The player takes on the role of Juliet, the chainsaw-wielding hero, after the portal between Earth and the Rotten World is opened, unleashing a zombie outbreak. Beyond the obvious brutal chainsaw hacking and slashing,Lollipop Chainsawalso offers plenty of unlockable content, including moves, costumes, and artwork.
Dying Light 2is anopen-world zombie survival gameset after the outbreak of a mutated virus. Caught between conflicting factions vying for control and dangerous variants of the infected, the player follows wanderer Aiden Caldwell in the search for his sister, Mia.
While guns were added toDying Light 2in the “Firearms Update”, this addition proved controversial, with many preferring the post-apocalyptic feel without them. This, along with the fact that some zombie types are attracted by noise, means that the game remains melee-focused, and doing parkour across the map with a machete is still the main appeal for most.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remasteris an updated version of the 2006 zombie survival gameDead Rising.Once again controlling journalist Frank West, the player must survive in a zombie-infested mall long enough to get rescued while completing missions orgo wild in the sandbox “Infinity” mode.
Much ofDead Rising’snovelty comes from the sheer number of things that can be used as a weapon, ranging from bags of flour to shopping carts to sledgehammers, which have a much more comic appeal than the available firearms. Likewise, the updated graphics ofDeluxe Remastermake the close-quarters horde smashing all the more satisfying.
Dante’s Infernois known for having one of the most savage portrayals of Hell in gaming. Inspired in part by Dante’sThe Divine Comedy,the player, as the titular Templar, must fight through the nine Circles of Hell to rescue his wife Beatrice from Lucifer.
Not only are the environments immense and full of visceral representations of torture but there are also swathes of demon armies to be harvested. Armed with a scythe, a holy cross, and magic,Dante’s Infernolets players slaughter their enemies in the masses, as well as upgrade their battle skills via a skill tree, making for some truly epic combat.
For all the color and whimsy that Lewis Carroll injected intothe original novel,Alice’s Adventures in Wonderlandhas its fair share of surreal and disturbing elements, which the horror community has taken full advantage of.Alice: Madness Returnsfollows Alice, recently released from Rutledge Asylum, through both reality and wonderland as she navigates her trauma.
The game combines the beloved characters and unusual environments of its source material and molds them into a dark narrative that is full of gore and combat. Wielding a knife, the player has plenty of opportunities to slash at some genuinely horrifying enemies that reflect the twisted version of Wonderland. Beyond the brutality,Alice: Madness Returnsalso has a compelling style, exploring heavy themes in strangely charming ways.
